One Life for Another
by xxSilverEchoxx
Summary: She looked up into his blank gaze and smiled sadly. 'I always knew fire would be the death of me,' she thought. With that, she closed her eyes, the smile still on her face. Implied SasuSaku. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**One Life for Another**

The crackling resonated throughout her body and filled the grey air, signifying the absolute destruction looming upon her. She jerked forward and clutched her stomach as another cough clawed its way up her throat.

Faintly, she remembered that coughing up blood could not be a good thing. Really, though, it wouldn't make a difference. Her fate was already sealed, and she had no intention of trying to change it.

She peered up through her pink bangs and became aware of the tall, angry wisps not more than ten feet away. They lashed out at the trees - she heard the creak of a branch before it broke off and thudded to the ground - and raced along the grass, instantly turning anything they touched to ash.

Smoke. _(Life.)_

Ash. _(Love.)_

Fire. _(Death.)_

Her mouth twitched up into a smile, even as tears glistened on her cheeks. Then her eyes traveled beyond the fire, searching for anything besides red or orange or yellow.

Finally, she found black.

His eyes were hooded, staring right at her. Flames danced among their darkness, swaying back and forth endlessly. His face and hair lit up from the red and shadows flickered beneath his eyes, under his nose.

So beautiful.

Her hand came up and she began to choke on the permeating grey air…only to find that her whole palm was coated in blood. Dimly confused, she looked down and discovered a gash on her stomach.

More like a crater rather than a gash, actually. If the blood amount weren't so high, she supposed it would look as if lighting had struck there.

Chidori.

She winced and carefully rose to her legs, only to find herself falling. Her knees slapped painfully into the ground and she swore softly.

Blank, obsidian orbs continued to watch her.

She closed her eyes and leaned forward, sighing. Words ran along her lips, silent and quick, yet he caught them all.

'_I always knew fire would be the death of me.'_

Her teeth clenched together. After all, Naruto was strong enough to stop anyone from harming her…aside from Sasuke, and at times, himself.

If the blonde were here, she probably wouldn't be on the brink of death. Unfortunately, he was near the village, where the main battle was taking place. While he fought for his home, she'd been in search of their old teammate…she had wanted to finally end Sasuke's twisted plans. And look where it got her.

She winced again as she doubled over with a cough, the wound on her stomach pulsing fiercely. Her head began to throb, and waves of exhaustion poured through her.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Her weak voice barely rose above the roar of the fire.

His blank gaze was the only answer she received.

"Please," she croaked, and the air burned as it traveled down her throat when she took her next breath. "Please, d-don't kill…each other, Sasuke-kun. Don't hurt each other."

Her next words were mouthed, but again he caught them.

'_I wouldn't be able to stand it if you did.'_

His red eyes shifted to the light grey sky above, and his heart beat evenly along with his breath.

Sakura observed the flames whipping back and forth in front of her - she felt their undeniable heat behind and on either side of her beaten form.

Finally, she let herself fall backwards, into the ash-covered ground. She watched the fire in her peripheral vision, and took note of the smoke twirling and coiling above her.

It was close.

Sasuke's eyes dropped from the clouds at the sound of her dropping to the floor. She landed on her back with a soft thud, and her hand lifted up to the sky, as if she could wipe away the sparse clouds.

Blood trickled quickly down the pale limb, and several drops landed on her face. Her eyes closed, and she clenched her fist together. Silent prayers issued from her lips, but this time they were too quick and unclear for him to read.

The many slashes on her arms and face glimmered a dull crimson. Her one airborne hand began to tremble with the effort.

She thought that maybe, if she tried, she could stand up and escape the flames. In reality, she was aware that she wasn't strong enough. Her chakra was completely gone, and through the hazy, pain-free mist, she knew her wounds were too great and too many. By moving, she would bleed more, and probably faint from the loss.

Her last prayers whispered from her mouth: _Naruto, keep the village safe. You are the only one capable of it. _

With a quick intake of breath, she ended her silent words. _…thank you for being there._

She turned her head to the side and felt even more tears coat her face. The flames were but three feet away. Her eyes raked down Sasuke - who stood on the other side of the fire, about six yards to her left - one last time, and she smiled grimly.

_At least I tried..._

With that, her lifted hand dropped down onto her chest, and she closed her eyes.

Sasuke let out a soft breath and waited for her to try to get up again. For as long as he'd known her, she had never given up - she was just like the dobe, and didn't know when to stop.

He placed a hand over his chest, and winced inwardly. Miraculously, she had actually broken through his defense and punched him in the chest. He suspected that a few ribs had taken the toll from that underestimated hit. His arm throbbed, too, from where she had pressed on a certain point in the limb, and it had sparked with pain.

A slight shake of his head was the only sign of how impressed he ended up being.

His eyes narrowed at the flames briefly, for they had risen and blocked out his vision of Sakura's body. He impatiently waited for her to heal herself, jump out, and try to convince him to return to Konoha again…

For some reason, when that didn't happen immediately, his heartbeat quickened in pace.

Well, maybe he would just check and see. "Sakura?" he called evenly, her name rolling off his tongue like it used to when they were genin.

No answer.

Dammit, why wasn't she getting up?

He'd had this moment planned out perfectly: Sakura would fight him until she was completely out of strength, and if she didn't run away then, he would have to get rid of her for good. Surely she was strong enough to continue fighting now, or smart enough to leave?

The flames parted for a split second, and he saw her still body, bleeding heavily as she lay on the ground. He stiffened as he noticed that her eyes were closed, and her chest wasn't moving anymore.

Perhaps she was performing a healing jutsu he didn't know about, one that required the user made no movement?

Then he saw the heated wisps begin to rake up her bloodied skirt. She didn't move to stop them.

"Sakura!" he snapped furiously, the Sharingan whirling.

Any moment now she would wipe that damn smile off her face and stand up and charge at him. She would prove to him that she wasn't weak…

Out of anger, he leapt over the fire, scooped her limp body up in his arms - the position seemed so familiar, since he had picked her up that way numerous times, whether she was falling from the clutch of sand or needed saving from the gaze of a certain Snake sannin - and jumped back out to the safety of the trees. He quickly put out the fire on her skirt so it wouldn't reach her legs.

Sasuke crouched on the tree branch, and her head lolled lifelessly against his chest at the movement. Maybe she had fainted from exhaustion…

Then he checked the pulse on her neck.

Or rather, lack of.

"Idiot, wake up!" he growled and shook her body roughly. "You said you weren't weak; prove it to me, then. Get up and fight and prove to me that you're strong!"

Why was her skin so cold? Surely something must be wrong.

Because Sakura had always been so warm.

His breath faltered momentarily, and he leaned against the tree trunk. His fingers clutched at her shoulder and tightened around her ashy legs. He tilted his head down toward her face, closing his eyes. The crackling of the fire, the creaks and groans of dying trees, the wind sliding past his ears…all seemed so distant to him.

Wearily, his eyelids lifted and he hesitantly ran a finger over the many slashes on her face.

Slashes given to her by his sword and his kunai.

He looked down, noticing the wound from his Chidori on her stomach - visible because the whole lower half of her shirt had been torn off.

Torn off as he tried to cut through her, and she had twisted around in a circle midair to dodge.

Scars dusted her skin; be they small or large, wide or narrow, they were there. One in particular caught his attention - a long grey line that slid horizontally on her left side.

He'd noted earlier that there was a similar one on her back, reversed in the same position.

A stab straight through her body.

His hand carefully traced it - avoiding the blood seeping from her open wound - and he felt his shoulders release from their stiff poise.

When had that happened? If he had been there, she would've been spared the pain and the memory.

Of course, though, he'd left long before.

Sasuke slowly bent his head down and rested his cheek against hers. His long bangs fell forward, spilling over her nose and eyes. Slowly, silently, he breathed in the scent of her hair. Under the coating of ash, blood, and sweat, it smelled like lavender - the aroma soft and delicate yet demanding attention.

He shook her again, gently this time. "Sakura, wake up," he whispered into her ear. In his voice, he recognized the same tone he'd used when he had told Pakkun - in the forest after Naruto's fight with Gaara - to watch over her.

With her peaceful face and relaxed features, there was no way she could be…

_You killed her._

No.

There were signs, though. Her skin was paler than his, cold as the air rushing past, and she wasn't breathing…

A part of him made his mind forget that not moments ago he had checked her pulse and confirmed it.

His arms drew her closer, until her chest was pressed against his crushingly. It had been so long since he'd had this kind of contact, and he tried to draw comfort from the touch.

_Clinging to a dead body won't do you any good._

Dead. She had no heartbeat.

He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his face further into her neck. "Come on," he said quietly. "Sakura, Konoha is waiting for you. If you wake up I'll let you go."

_You're a monster. You killed one of the few people you had ever cared about._

Tick.

And the bomb finally exploded.

"_Shut up_!" he screamed into her neck. "Just _shut the hell up_!" His voice was coarse and rough, deep and rich all at the same time. "She's not dead, so stop telling me that she is!"

One hand moved to caress the back of her head as his neck jerked up and he glared out into the raging flames below. It was their fault - the smoke had filled her lungs, and she'd fallen unconscious from the inhalation. In a while, she would blink and cough, smiling up at him after.

It was the fire's fault that she was like this.

_You stabbed her with your Chidori, you caused the fire, and now she is gone._

A sharp, hoarse cry issued from his mouth and his arm snapped backward, his hand connecting with the tree and creating a splintered hole.

Sasuke pulled his hand away and was vaguely aware that his knuckles were covered in crimson liquid. Pain that he gratefully accepted sparked through him.

"Get up, Sakura," he repeated forcefully. His eyes watched her face for a reaction - any reaction. "I promise"- he took a rushed breath and continued on without thinking -"that if you get up, I'll come back with you."

The silence he received nearly sent him over the edge. He groaned softly and buried his head in the collar of her shirt. "…please, Sakura," he whispered, his voice faint.

_Just give up. She's dead, so move on with your life. After all, not more than a year ago you would've killed her along with the blonde without a sliver of hesitation._

"She is not dead," he breathed again.

Suddenly he shot up and leaped to the tree next to him, cradling the limp girl in his arms as he sprinted towards the battle next to the village.

_It's no use._

"All she needs is a medical ninja," he snapped to the air. If Tsunade could heal her, everything would be alright. Sakura would be fine…

…and then it began to rain.

Little drops at first that landed on his messy hair and Sakura's pale cheeks, but it eventually began to soak everything. The wind whipped his hair around his face, and the water streamed down his neck.

It had been sunny not five minutes before.

…no.

And he closed his eyes, because he knew. He knew he had killed _her_, one of the only two women he had ever even acknowledged.

One of the only two he had ever even…loved.

His mouth tightened - back then, he had thought fondly of her as a teammate, which grew to protective love as a friend, and faded to ignorance when he left. He'd tried so hard to let go of his past…

Now, he wasn't sure if those bonds had ever really broken.

The realization was far too late.

His eyes flashed open at the sound of muted laughter and painful gasps. Before him stood hundreds of shinobi, all of them looking beaten and worn-out. Almost just as many were sitting, eyes lit up with victory and others nursing their wounds.

Then there were the ones on the ground.

The lifeless ones covered in blood.

Just like the girl in his arms.

At that thought, he clutched her closer to him, and pressed his face to her hair one last time, before stepping out from the cover of the forest.

No one seemed to notice him…and then he saw why.

Naruto stood in the middle of a large crowd - his blonde head was easy to pick out - and he was grinning sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. One long cut made its way down his arm, as did two more on his chest. His movements were plagued with weariness, but he didn't seem to care.

"You saved us, Naruto!"

"Who would've thought the little mischief-maker would become so strong!"

"I can't believe you defeated the Akatsuki!"

His face especially lit up when Kakashi patted his head, the silver-haired ninja's eye crinkling into a smile. "I'm proud of you, Naruto."

"Y-You were amazing, N-Naruto-kun," a small black-haired girl - who Sasuke didn't recognize - agreed.

"Ah, thanks, Hinata-chan!" The blonde pulled her into a tight hug. "It was nothing, really!"

"Hinata" blushed and hid herself in Naruto's dirty shirt.

Sasuke found that he couldn't move, and he kept on watching.

Then a certain blonde Hokage's eyes rested upon him, and she pushed off from where she'd been leaning against a tree about fifty feet away. Her rushed steps caught the attention of the group as she passed them, and Naruto's eyes focused on what she was glaring at.

The Uchiha's name sounded silently on his lips before he shook his head and began to cut through the crowd.

By that time, Tsunade had reached him, and her gold gaze held his without the smallest hint of fear. "Give her to me." Her voice whipped out and filled the rising silence.

His mouth tightened, and he glanced down at the kunoichi in his arms, before slowly shaking his head. The water flew from his hair as he did this.

"Sa-Sakura-chan…"

Sasuke turned his head to Naruto, who came to stand in front of him. His broken whisper seemed so loud in the Uchiha's ears.

"I-"

Naruto's tear-filled eyes lifted up and met his old teammate's.

Sasuke looked at the sky and said faintly, "I'm sorry."

The blonde smiled through his tears, and he blinked away the pouring raindrops. Before he could answer, though, Tsunade pushed forward and held out her arms. "Give her to me now, Uchiha, or I will forcefully remove her from you," she snapped.

His hand lingered on her face as he gently placed her in Tsunade's grasp. The Hokage gave him a sharp look, and then she whirled around and walked toward the village. She paused shortly and glanced over her shoulder. "You will be staying, right? Or should I unleash Naruto on you right now?"

His eyes never left the form in her arms - the pink hair careened lightly at any movement, and her small smile remained ever-present on her face. "I'm staying," he finally murmured, and looked up to meet Tsunade's approving gaze before she turned and continued on.

Suddenly, he found himself engulfed in orange. His eyes widened considerably, and his hands hung limp at his sides.

"Welcome back, teme," Naruto croaked emotionally.

For once, Sasuke found it in him to not push the blonde away.

* * *

**Five Years Later**

He always wore black. Whether he was training, eating, or sleeping, he was always clad in something black.

When asked why (mainly by Naruto), he would respond that he really didn't feel like changing into a black outfit for only a short period of the day and then having to take it off right after.

Then Naruto would get this sad gleam in his eye, and everything would fall silent between them after that.

So today was no different than any other day.

He strolled along in his black shirt and black shorts, his ninja sandals barely scraping across the ground as he walked. His eyes were closed, hands stuffed in his pockets, and his bangs swayed at the movement. The only thing he wore that wasn't black ended up being his forehead protector - the same one he'd had as a genin, the one with a half-slash through it, courtesy of Naruto. The dark blue cloth signified days he never wanted to forget.

A small smirk graced his lips as the sun finally peaked over the horizon.

And he finally opened his eyes and came to a halt.

"Ohayo, Sakura," he whispered.

Her name was the only one he saw on the large stone.

His eyelids fell shut as the warm breeze swept past him and twirled around his head.

His smirk grew into something more fragile and rare, something so faint only people who had known him for years could even tell what it was.

…his smirk grew into a smile.

And the wind made one more trip around him before traveling elsewhere. His opaque orbs connected once again with her name.

The silence was peaceful, but he knew she would want to hear the news of daily life in Konoha. So he shifted his weight to one leg and began to talk - it was only once every early morning that he spoke so much, otherwise he seldom made a noise.

"Today marks the one full year Naruto has been Hokage," he said softly. "You would…like to see him, Sakura. You would hardly ever recognize him as the inexperienced genin he used to be ten years ago." His words were drawn out slowly and carefully, as if he were afraid that if he raised his voice or talked too quickly, his world would crumble to pieces. "He and Hinata just found out she was pregnant three days ago." After that, he took a deep breath and tried to keep his words from being rushed. "I-I was going to tell you about them sooner, but I just got back from a week-long mission yesterday night, and you know I only come in the mornings"- _when no one else is around_ -"so I had to wait…"

She was forgiving him in that selfless way of hers, telling him it was okay and he shouldn't worry about such things.

His features relaxed gratefully, and he continued, "Kakashi and Anko are about to celebrate their daughter, Leilani's, second birthday next week. They've almost been married for three years now." His eyes softened. "Leilani...she reminds me of you a little - fierce temper, loud voice…"

The wind appeared again and danced around him threateningly. Another smile found its way upon his mouth. "Already she shows the signs of being a strong kunoichi someday. Kakashi is proud of her." He paused and glanced up at the sky where a lone cloud drifted by. "Aside from that, she doesn't have pink hair or green eyes, so I guess the resemblance ends." The wind passed through his hair and swept away.

"Sakura," he breathed, and his hands fidgeted in his pockets, "I…don't know what to do now. I've already achieved ANBU Captain status, and it doesn't seem as if anything bad is going to happen soon. I have recently…been thinking about the other part of my goal."

The wind drifted lazily over his feet.

Keep going, she prompted him.

"…about the revival of my clan," he stated roughly.

The wind stirred his shirt and made its way to his face.

I'm listening, she said gently.

"The only person I could ever actually be happy with and want to bare my children…was you."

No response.

"And you know it," he declared. "So I've finally come to a decision."

The wind was especially soft as it caressed his face.

I'll stand behind your every choice, she assured him.

That was all he needed to take a heavy breath and whisper, "The Uchiha clan will die with me."

The wind gave him one last kiss before it pulled back into the surrounding trees.

I approve, if that is what you truly want.

"It is."

He listened for her as he constantly did, even if she couldn't be seen or he wasn't aware of her presence.

She could be heard in the leaves, over the gravelly roads and through the fields of flowers. Above the ocean and dancing with fire, she was there.

With him always.

She appeared before him as he turned away from the stone, pink hair swaying lightly and green eyes sparkling with emotion.

Despite not being able to hear her words, he knew.

She loved him even in death, and would never let him forget it.

For that, he was grateful. "Thank you," he murmured, eyes locked with hers.

She smiled at the repeated words, and faded…

…but not before she finally had the chance to answer.

The wind brushed past his lips.

You're welcome.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope this wasn't too OOC, and I especially hope there isn't another one-shot out there like this…

One can only dream.

Oh yeah, and the other women (besides Sakura) who Sasuke had cared about was his mother…

Well. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to ask.

Thank you for reading and please review!


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